


Part 1: Unveil

by Flymetothemoon81



Series: Frank Castle x Reader [1]
Category: The Punisher (TV 2017), frank castle - Fandom
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 08:58:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17443838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flymetothemoon81/pseuds/Flymetothemoon81
Summary: Frank and the reader meet regularly at the library where the reader is working. Slowly they get to know each other better and develop feelings for each other...





	Part 1: Unveil

## Part 1: Unveil (Frank Castle x Reader)

  


 

You watched Frank entering the building. It was Thursday evening and like every week Frank sneaked into the library shortly before closing hours. You knew that you risked being fired for this but meanwhile it was your weekly ritual to spend Thursday evenings with Frank, reading books together, after the last visitors left.

Like every week Frank brought coffee and you sat down at one of the large desks. 

It was normal for you to stay at the library after closing hours. You were studying for your online courses till late after work at least three times a week. You had the official permission of your employer to use the computers and databases. But what was absolutely not permitted was that a visitor stayed after the library closed.

You knew that Frank didn’t have a membership card for the library and for some reason he wasn’t willing to apply for one.

You also knew that he was very secretive concerning his identity and where he came from.

For some reason you still believed that he told you his real name.

You stopped asking him about things like this because every time you did he became silent and withdrawn.

He was never annoyed or dismissive though. It seemed to you that he mostly was scared of telling you things that happened in the past.

With time you learned that the less you asked the more relaxed he became.

“This is a weird book”, he said when you finished reading a passage of Shakespeare’s _As you like it_ out loud.

“Why”, you asked giggling. “Believe me, when you got used to the pomposity of speech you will be able to look behind the veil and get what Shakespeare really wanted to tell us. You’ll love it.”

“It’s not the language, professor”, he said winking. “Why the heck does the girl has to dress up as a guy to tell her crush she loves him?”

“It’s about secrets and masquerades, Frank”, you answered dreamily, looking at the pages, words and lines that always meant so much to you.

“Just when she hides behind another identity, when she puts on a mask, she feels completely safe and free. She is brave enough to finally stand in for herself and reveal her true feelings for the man she loves.”

“But she’s in hiding. She’s not herself. She’s playing a role”, Frank said with raised eyebrows.

You really enjoyed it that one of your favourite plays caused such a heated discussion.

“Oh yes, she really does. Please let me quote here:

_‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players’_.”

You beamed at him, while he was watching you with a hidden smile behind his bushy beard.

“That’s cute”, he said, smirking at you. Looking at the soft expression on his face you couldn’t tell if he was talking about the play or if he meant you.

You blushed a bit.

“When we keep on reading you will see that Rosalind reveals her feelings in the end and they will have their happy ending.”

You were reading out loud in turns and when you finished an hour later Frank leaned back in his chair, grinning.

“So what do you say”, you asked excitedly.

“I liked it”, he smirked. “It’s a bit cheesy at times but I think I got the actual meaning.”

“Oh this makes me happy”, you giggled.

“Why are you so nuts about this book”, he asked, resting his elbows back on the table.

“I don’t know”, you mused. “I think I always admired Rosalind for her bravery.”

Frank lowered his head and chuckled.

“You are talking about the lack of bravery? You are risking getting fired for letting me in at night and actually you are sitting here talking to a complete stranger who never talks about himself.”

“Yes you are right. Maybe this is brave. Or completely insane”, you smiled at him. “But it’s worth it and I think I can trust you. You’re a good guy, Frank.”

As you realized that you maybe said a bit too much you lowered your gaze starting to sort the books which were lying in front of you.

When he noticed that the silence made you feel awkward he cleared his throat.

“Listen”, he said. “I wanted you thank you for this.” He gestured to the books on the table. “That you made it possible for me to be here. Access to books is essential to me.” He started kneading his hands. “I thought maybe we could have dinner together….as kind of reparation for the risks you were taking for me.”

You smiled looking at him softly.

“It was a pleasure, really. And you distracted me a bit from my studies, what I always welcome. And yes, I would be glad to have dinner with you.”

“But there is one thing”, he said and started tracing the beard on his chin. “I don’t like to be outside, you know, in public. Would you mind doing this at my place? I know this might sound weird but it’s just…”

“It’s ok, Frank”, you smiled and put your hand on his wrist. “But in this case I would prefer having dinner at my place if you don’t mind.”

“Alright”, Frank smirked. “I’ll bring the wine.”

You arranged to meet the next evening. He accompanied you home because it was late already. Your flat was in walking distance and fifteen minutes later you stood in front of the house your were living in.

“Ok then”, you stammered nervously. “Thank you and see you tomorrow?”

He didn’t answer immediately and because you didn’t know what to say or do next you leaned in and kissed his cheek or rather the dense beard which was growing there.

His face twitched a bit and you looked down to your feet, starting to fumble for your keys.

You turned around quickly without looking at his face.

“Good night”, you mumbled and unlocked the door.

“(y/n)”, you heard Frank say in his deep, hoarse voice.

You turned back to him and saw him smirking at you.

“Good night”, he said, winking.

You returned the smile and Frank strolled away.

The next evening you started preparing dinner right after work. When it was finished you took a shower and got dressed. You decided to keep it all casual because you felt awkward imagining Frank might think you dressed up for him.

When it was time you started laying the table.

After a few minutes you heard the doorbell and you pushed the electric strike to let him in.

Some moments later he knocked softly at your flat’s door.

“Hey”, he said when you opened the door.

“Hi”, you replied and took the wine bottle he was handing you.

He entered your flat and looked around.

“This smells really good and familiar somehow”, he said joining you at the kitchen counter.

“It’s Italian pasta”, you said holding a wooden spoon in front of his lips, offering him some sauce.

He tasted and backed off a bit since the sauce must have been really hot.

“Wow”, he mumbled. “It hurts but it’s damn good.”

You had to laugh at this and you turned off the stove.

“Actually it’s kind of perfect you made Italian food”, he said while you started to put pasta and sauce on two plates.

“Oh really? Why”, you asked and tried not to sound too pushy.

“Well, my family immigrated from Italy”, he answered, narrowing his eyes.

“Wow, great”, you replied, raising your eyebrows. “And that’s the first personal thing you tell me if I remember it right. Besides telling me your name. Your name is Frank actually, right?” You smirked and winked at him.

He grinned and you moved to the dining table.

After you finished your meal Frank poured some more wine into your glasses and you moved to the sofa.

You were a bit nervous because you felt the alcohol rushing through your veins. You were not used to drinking much wine and you felt your cheeks blushing with heat.

You sat there listening to songs from your playlist playing quietly in the background. He placed his arm on the headrest behind you.

You enjoyed just sitting beside him in silence, listening to the music and his steady breathing.

“I lost my family”, Frank suddenly said.

You turned your head towards him and remained silent.

“It felt like some parts of my body and soul was violently taken from me. It felt like I died partly, too. I never felt complete again since then and I guess it will stay like this forever. Something broke inside of me that day and I am not sure I will ever be able to fix it.

I needed some time to deal with this and didn’t have much contact to normal people lately. That’s why I’m maybe a bit awkward sometimes in dealing with people…with you. I want you to know that because I care for you.” The last words he just hushed and his deep and a bit hoarse voice felt like balm and sandpaper at the same time.

His words let your heart shrink and you felt deep sadness overwhelm you.

“I am so sorry, Frank”, you said quietly and felt your eyes tear up.

His sad and mournful gaze made you shiver a bit and you rested your head on his lower arm. Imperceptibly he closed in a bit.

“Thank you for trusting and telling me”, you said. Your faces were so close that you felt his warm breath on your lips.

You brought your hand to his beardy cheek and stroked the soft and dense hairs.

“I won’t ask you any more questions but I want you to know that I am here for you if you need to talk.”

He swallowed hard and narrowed his eyes, while you felt his arm slightly touching your shoulder.

His hand went to the side of your neck and he started to stroke your cheek with his thumb.

“You are so lovely”, he said and moved still closer. “It was not easy keeping my distance in the last months, you know, avoiding any physical contact. I just couldn’t though…there’s still a kind of a barrier inside of me.” He let his thumb brush your lower lip. “But I don’t think I can go on not kissing you any longer.”

He rested his forehead on yours and you palmed his cheeks. Cocking your head a bit you placed your lips on his. They were warm, soft and felt deadly pleasurable. Your heart started hammering ruthlessly inside your chest.

His beard tickled your nose a bit, but feeling it on your skin sent shivers down your spine.

He placed tender kisses on your upper and lower lip, stroking the back of your neck.

He stopped kissing you for a moment, brushing his lips against yours.

“This feels so good”, he whispered and you put your arms around his neck, cuddling closer to his chest.

Burying his face in the crook of your neck he enclosed you in his arms, breathing in deeply.

You felt his body tense a bit and he faced you again placing his mouth back on yours. This time a bit more urgently.

Your breathing got faster and you gripped into his hair pulling him even closer to you.

When your tongues met a sweet little sigh escaped his lips and he seized your waist, while your tongues kept exploring each others mouths.

You kept on kissing passionately for quite a while and you already felt your head going dizzy as a pleasurable heat spread through your whole body.

“Frank”, you hushed against his mouth.

He stopped kissing you right away but stayed close so that his lips were still touching yours.

“If you want to sleep with me I need to know”, you said, felling totally awkward. “I…I am not very good at things like these and I just need to know…now.”

He smirked, twitching his eyebrows and placing a soft kiss at the corner of your mouth.

“Ya, so damn cute”, he said hoarsely. “I really want to sleep with you right now, believe me.”

He kept on kissing your cheek and moved further to your jaw line, placing his lips at your ear finally.

“But please, let’s take our time, ‘kay? Just a bit more time.”

His softly hushed words sent blissful shivers through your body.

“Yes, of course”, you replied, stroking the soft hair at the back of his neck. “We have all the time in the world.”

Actually you didn’t know if this was true, but in this special moment time seemed to stand still… at least for a while.

_To be continued…_


End file.
